Going to court today... and I have a question.

[Moooo]

Okay, so I got into a fender bender about a month ago. I was cited for causing an accident (which I ran into the back of him, so there's not much defending this).

In springfield, you have to actually attend court if this happens, you can't just pay it out of court. My question is that the officer said sometimes the Judge will throw out all the costs associated with the ticket for one reason or another. What is the best stratedgy for getting out of this with the least amount of pocketbook damage?

Any advice would be appreciated...

Moooo

[DaKCMan AP]

When addressing the judge, call him Nancy.

[StcChief]

Likely only way out if the Cop doesn't show up.

[Moooo]

Likely only way out if the Cop doesn't show up.

He was the one who told me sometimes they will just not charge you anything.

I don't care if I'm found guilty, I just want to make the penalty as small as possible...

Moooo

[MOhillbilly]

was your ticket for following to close/failure to yield?

is this your actual trial date or your prelim?


any way if its your actual date to stand tall before the man and your guilty, dress nice and be respectful and plead guilty if you dont have representation.

If its your prelim request a pretrial conf. w/ the pros.(for a plea agreement they may like you and help you out).
If not stand tall be respectful, plead guilty and take it like a man.



Or run,and dont go to court.

[StcChief]

He was the one who told me sometimes they will just not charge you anything.

I don't care if I'm found guilty, I just want to make the penalty as small as possible...

MooooTraffic courts work different depending on locality.

the long term effect is the points on your licence and insurance rate increase for 3 years.

Lawyer may get it dropped...But it's too late for that now since today is the day.

Public defender? Go early or call and see if you can pospone continue it
to talke with a lawyer

[Moooo]

was you ticket for following to close/failure to yield?

is this your actual trial date or your prelim?

"Causing an Accident," A city ordinance.

And this is the day on the ticket.

Moooo

[KCfaninOK]

I did the same thing about a month ago. The highway patrolman who worked the accident told me not to pay the ticket, i should go to court and if the lady that i hit didnt show up that it would be dropped. Dont know if its the same laws where your from though. I live in Oklahoma.

I went ahead and payed the ticket a week ago, couldnt get off work to make the court date.

[chagrin]

Start yelling out "come witness the violence inherant in the system! Help Help, I'm being repressed!" and they will think you have tourette's syndrome

[MOhillbilly]

"Causing an Accident," A city ordinance.

And this is the day on the ticket.

Moooo

plead not guilty and retain a lawyer or atleast go talk to one.

you can always plead before the actual trial.

[Iowanian]

I think you should shout "There is no judge but Allah! ALLAH AKBAAAAAAAAAAAR"

As you're saying this, you're simultatiously sticking your hands into your pants and pulling furiously at your uh rip chord.

[Iowanian]

If you don't think that is a good Idea, stay in character. Get all goat-boy on his ass.

"Your honor mooooooooo, I'd like to mooooooooo say that Mooooooooooooo while I'm a terrible driver mooooooooooooooo and I shouldn't have been talking on the phone and driving moooooooooooooo, you mooooooooooo should cut me some slack mooooooooooo.

[sedated]

show up in a fur coat.

I hear judges like that.

shows respect for the system

[Bugeater]

I don't know about where you live, but here in Omaha you can take a traffic school class to have a minor ticket dismissed. Although the goat-boy strategy isn't bad either.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Start yelling out "come witness the violence inherant in the system! Help Help, I'm being repressed!" and they will think you have tourette's syndrome
I say, slam your hands on the table repeatedly screaming "Attica! Attica!"









Or you could always try, "Alpaca! "Alpaca!" :p

[alanm]

I don't know about where you live, but here in Omaha you can take a traffic school class to have a minor ticket dismissed. Although the goat-boy strategy isn't bad either.
Depending on how many traffic tickets you accumulate I believe you can only do that once every 2 yrs or so.

[ck_IN]

You're screwed. When they fit you for the orange prison clothes ask if they have matching pumps.

Also be sure and establish your prison yard cred by going to the largest detainee and tell him how you violated his mother. It will ensure his respect and your authoritah.

[Moooo]

I am now scheduled for a "pre-trial hearing." But that's cool. I'm fine with that. I learned a lot today too. I thought there was going to be someone there that at least told you what to do kinda, but there isn't. You're only appointed a lawyer if its a criminal case. I'm going to assume its the same for the pre-trial too, so I'm gonna call some people and maybe read up on the internet as to what the best path would be in order to get this taken care of. Also, court costs don't go up any more in order to get a pre-trial hearing, so if you can, do it.

And it also made me feel better to know that I'm not the only one that's totally f'n clueless about how our legal system works. :)

Moooo

[luv]

I got into a fender bender like that myself. All I did was give him my insurance information, and he made a claim. It was taken care of. Was it pretty bad or something?

[Moooo]

I got into a fender bender like that myself. All I did was give him my insurance information, and he made a claim. It was taken care of. Was it pretty bad or something?

No. We both drove away, but the guy freaked out and was like "Oh god, call the cops!"

It doesn't bother me, but seriously the only thing it did was tear his plastic bumper.

Moooo

[StcChief]

No. We both drove away, but the guy freaked out and was like "Oh god, call the cops!"

It doesn't bother me, but seriously the only thing it did was tear his plastic bumper.

Moooo
Some folks are so Anal about their cars.
Insurance claim should have done it.

Well hope he is at fault for same kinda accident later in life,

funny how some can't walk in someone elses shoes.

[ck_IN]

Don't be so hard on the other guy. I've gotten hit twice. The first time the woman had no insurance but tried to give me a bogus company as her insurer. The second time the woman had let her coverage lapse but tried to feed me her expired policy number. Luckily I called the cops on both occasions and let things run their course.

[luv]

No. We both drove away, but the guy freaked out and was like "Oh god, call the cops!"

It doesn't bother me, but seriously the only thing it did was tear his plastic bumper.

Moooo
Pretty cowardly to call after the fact, IMO.

[Moooo]

Don't be so hard on the other guy. I've gotten hit twice. The first time the woman had no insurance but tried to give me a bogus company as her insurer. The second time the woman had let her coverage lapse but tried to feed me her expired policy number. Luckily I called the cops on both occasions and let things run their course.

THat's why I said I was cool with it. Someone hit my car the other day and it scuffed the paint. They freaked out and I looked at them (after seeing their car had no damage), and said, "This car sucks so bad, I'd feel bad putting a claim on it."

A always joke with my friends and tell them if they hit it I won't file a claim, but they owe me a beer (even trade).

Moooo

[Megbert]

I was involved in a minor fender bender back in Oct. 4 cars were involved 1 that caused the accident and 3 that were part of said fender bender.

On the car I 'hit' I scraped the vinyl Pittsburgh Steelers tire cover and bent his tail pipe. Thats it. The only thing to happen to my car was it the tire cover cleaned the dust off of my hood. The car he it there was a little square bump on the rear bumper.

The guy I hit and I would have just settled it by me paying him a couple hundred bucks and calling it even. But the person in the first car was in a rental so they had to call the cops.

So I get a ticket for tapping someones bumper. I got to take an online traffic course. I will do the traffic school next time. The pages were timed on the online course so you couldn't just click through them. Then I had to go to Kinkos to take the actual test.

[MOhillbilly]

you should have cut a deal then and there. Your court costs will go up if you dont strike a suitable deal in the pre trial.

im no lawyer but ive been to kiddy court a few times.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

You should call in a bomb threat to that police officers house 15 minutes before court begins, that way he'll be tending to that and not show up at court. Gochiefs will let you borrow his phone.

[tyton75]

Just bring a Swedish made Penispump to the Judge at the trial... apparently they use those all the time :)